Page 61 of Full Circle

How Marla managed to have any storage left on her phone from all the photos was beyond me, but when she finally deemed them enough, Daddy and Wesley escorted me upstairs. Daddy stayed in his wheelchair with Willow and one of the male nurses present. Willow assured us that she would try to remain as inconspicuous as possible for the duration of the party.

“Don’t be silly,” Wesley replied easily. “You should enjoy tonight just as much as the rest of us. You worked hard to pull this off.” All the while his fingers remained tightly intertwined with mine.

I was rendered speechless when we arrived on the top floor by the grandeur of the event and the number of guests in attendance. There were more than thirty people out on the dance floor, some wearing masks or tubes for oxygen, and several more were seated at tables around the room. A professional photographer encouraged one girl to smile next to a four foot tall seahorse and two boxes that read “Under the Sea: Emory Hospital Prom” with the year. And although I had little experience in the matter, I would hazard to guess that the DJ behind the turntable was an honest to goodness professional. Sea creatures made out of glitter and paper mâché were scattered throughout the room along with a mural of ocean life on a banner hung behind all the food tables.

The biggest giveaway that this was a hospital prom and not a real one was the number of nurses in scrubs and doctors in white lab coats that stood around the perimeter. Everyone was smiling, however, talking animatedly and laughing. Some were even dancing with patients. It melted my heart like ice cream in July to see so many sick kids happy. Wesley changed all of their lives and probably didn’t even realize the impact it made.

“May I have this dance?” Wesley asked sweetly, pulling our joined hands up to his mouth to softly kiss my knuckles.

We weaved in between the other dancers as Tim McGraw’s “One of Those Nights” came on the speakers. Aware of my daddy’s eyes drilling into the back of my head, I kept Wes an arm’s length away from my body. He glanced my daddy’s way and chuckled, but maintained the distance.

It was the perfect night and the perfect prom, better than I had ever imagined a school dance could be. I was so grateful not to deal with Hillary and her groupies, who surely would have crashed my good time had we been back in River’s Run. Daddy smiled and laughed the whole time, talking with Willow, the hospital staff, and other patients. He even took photos with Wes and me at the photographer’s set up where he managed to stand upright rather than sit in his wheelchair. Other than his smaller frame, no one could look at that photo and guess that he was sick. I already knew that silly photo at “Prom Do-Over” as Wes called it was one of my most prized possessions.

I saw Willow steer Daddy’s wheelchair over to the DJ. They spoke briefly to him for a moment before Daddy grinned and came over towards the dance floor. As the song changed, Daddy stood out of his chair to join us.

“Sorry, son, but this one is for Celeste and me,” Daddy said. Wesley smiled and nodded, stepping over to the side to watch us. I recognized the open chords to Heartland’s “I Loved Her First” and it was impossible not to cry again. Mama and I always talked about playing this song at my wedding back when I was a little girl who dreamed of her big day. Daddy’s arms came around my shoulders as mine wrapped around his waist in what was more of a hug than a dance. We slowly turned in circles with his head resting on the top of my hair as the song sang about a father watching his daughter move on with the love of her life.

The impact of his cancer stabbed me in the chest yet again as I realized Daddy wanted this dance with me now because he would never have it at my wedding. Even though he couldn’t be there when the time came, it didn’t mean I couldn’t have the father-daughter dance I deserved.

I had to wonder if Daddy was also crying because his voice sounded thick and gravelly when he said, “Wes is growing into a good man, sugar bee. Might need to get his temper under control so his fists stop doin’ all the talkin,’ but I’m proud as hell of him. I hope you know that.”

A watery chuckle broke loose. “Yeah, he’s been more than good to us, Daddy. We’re lucky I met him at the creek that day.”

He nodded against my hair. “I’m proud of you, too, sugar bee. You have your mama’s heart, but it’s so much more than that. I can’t believe the young lady you’ve turned into. I’m so grateful for every second of this life I spent as your daddy. D’you hear me? I wouldn’t trade a single minute of it.”

We were both openly crying now, there was no way around it. I ceased spinning and instead pulled away enough to look Daddy in the eye through my tears. The crinkles around his eyes were just the same as I remembered, his smile warm even while tinged with sadness.

“I just want you to always know that you were my greatest blessing, okay?” Daddy whispered thickly. “No matter what happens down the road, it was and has always been you, sugar bee. I love you, Celeste.”

Sobs were choking me now, everything so blurry through my tears that I could no longer see. I crushed myself against Daddy’s chest and managed to blubber out, “I love you more than anything, Daddy.” I felt a gentle hand on the middle of my back and knew without looking that Wesley had stepped forward to console me. His soothing presence wrapped around me like a blanket, even with my father right there.

“You just remember your promise to me, Wesley,” Daddy said.

“For my whole life, sir,” he replied.

Exhaling sharply, I turned to look at Wes, smearing makeup all over my face as I scanned his features. He gave me a reassuring smile. The word choice was definitely intentional.

“Well, now, I didn’t mean to ruin your evening, kids,” Daddy coughed and took a few steps back, hastily wiping his eyes as he settled into the wheelchair Willow pushed forward. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to go rest in my room. Enjoy yourselves.”

As they navigated through the other prom goers, Wesley laced his hand through mine. “Wanna get some air?” he offered kindly.

Considering I was still a wailing mess? Absolutely.

There was hardly anyone out on the terrace now that the temperature dropped. I reminded myself that it probably wasn’t safe for any of the patients to be outside when there was a chill in the air. Too many brightly lit skyscrapers meant stars were nearly impossible to see here in Atlanta, a feat that surprised me the first time Wesley pointed it out, but now as I looked up at the sky I felt a surge of pity for the city’s inhabitants. They were missing so much beauty and they didn’t even know it.

Wesley came to stand behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “We decided not to name a prom king or queen since it wouldn’t be fair to all of the kids in there, but you’re prom queen in my book,” he whispered. Laughing, I shook my head at how foolishly insignificant something like a prom queen felt at that moment.

I wasn’t sure how long we stood like that, quietly enjoying each other’s company and lost in thought. It felt like quite some time had passed by the time I finally came back to the present.

I smiled. “Can we leave yet? I think all this crying has tuckered me out.”

“Of course, lovebug. Anything you want.”

“Let’s just pop back in and say good night to my daddy, okay?”

We wove back through the dancers, hand in hand, and took the elevator down to the next floor. It sounded like someone was howling when I stepped across the threshold of Daddy’s room, however.

We both raced down the short hallway into his room and found Nana bawling her eyes out, rocking forcefully on the couch, with Marla trying to comfort her. Silent tears ran down Marla’s face, too, and my heart bottomed out of my chest.

---